for the two beautiful people who reccomended this story over on the reccomended stories thingy of the forums. i love you. and i did have your names written down, but i lost them. but i love you both. this chapter is for youuuu <3 (ps, i will find your names and put them in the next chapter)

“I – I, erm –” I shuffled my feet backwards and forwards on the floor as Dom’s tearstained eyes narrowed, and her lips pushed out into an unimpressed pout. “Dom, listen, I actually kind of have plans for this weekend, and I really don’t want to – erm...” I trailed off as fresh tears sprung up in her eyes. Here we go with the Dominique Weasley Waterworks.

And sure enough, tears began to slide down her cheeks as she widened her eyes to Bambi proportions. Seriously, I didn’t just shoot your mother – stop looking at me like that.

“You – you have plans? Plans that you won’t reschedule to spend some time with me? Summer, I’ve just broken up with my boyfriend!” For some reason, I felt myself getting angry. Even angrier than I had been when I was arguing with Penny. I mean – who was she to stand there and tell me that she was sad and so I had to cancel my plans to spend time with her? When was the last fucking time she spent some time with me?

Oh yeah, two fucking months ago, before she started dating Connor.

“I – Dom, I kind of really want to go to... erm, Hogsmeade with... look, I know you want me to stay here with you but I have a date... a date... and I kind of really want to go.” I was angry that I was feeling guilty, but I blinked worriedly up at her all the same.

“You – you have a date? What happened to the friends before boyfriends pact that we made when we were way back in first year, Summer? You’re just going to forget about that now because you have a date? Merlin, you’re so selfish!”

I gaped at her and brushed my hair off my face, clenching my fists at my side and narrowing my eyes until they were slits.

“I am selfish? I am selfish? You – you have the fucking nerve to stand there and talk about the friends before boyfriends pact? How – you haven’t spent any time alone with me at all since you started dating Connor! I’ve been so lonely for the past two months, but you haven’t even noticed because you’re so obsessed with Connor! And yet you have the nerve to stand there and rag on me for not wanting to cancel what could be the best date of my life!”

“I – I don’t have to tell you who I’m going with! That’s private.” Dom scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Merlin, you’re such a bitch – I bet you don’t even have a date this weekend, you just don’t want to spend some time with me because you want me to be miserable!”

“Why would I want you to be miserable, Dom?” I shrieked back.

“Because I was happy and you’ve been stuck being miserable since you developed your goddamn fear of emotions and commitment! Face it, you were jealous I was happy and so you want me to be miserable now for longer so you’re not the only one that’s bitter!”

“Shut the fuck up,” I growled.

“Why? Why should I? You are bitter and alone because you treat everyone around you like they’re not worth a shit, and you want me to be alone right along with you so you’re not the only one – that’s why you won’t spend any time with me! Just because you’ve never been in love and don’t know how amazing it is, don’t take it out on me!” I gaped at her, and Dom’s voice suddenly became much softer, her eyes once again twinkling glassily.

“Shut up, Dom,” I whispered, as her words really hit home. Just because you’ve never been in love. Was I really missing out on that much? What could you get from being in love with that I didn’t have right now? I couldn’t think of anything.

“No! I need you, Summer! I – I love Connor so much, but... but he kept saying that I’ve changed, and that I’m – I’m really awful to him sometimes and I don’t want to be. I want him to be happy with me. I – I’ll change, but I – I need you. You’re my best friend, Summer, you have to help me. I would do the same thing for you.” Dom blinked at me with those enormous blue eyes of hers and I felt my stomach constrict. The image of James’ face if I cancelled filled my head.

“You say now that you’d do the same thing for me,” I said coldly, “but for the past two months, James and I haven’t been speaking – did you notice that, Dom? No, you didn’t. Because despite being your so-called ‘best friend’, you ditched me the second you found out Connor liked you. Did you ever bother to wonder why I started dating someone I barely knew? Because I was lonely, because you and Penny had both buggered off with your new blokes. You – you’re standing there now and exploding at me for considering choosing a guy over you – when you’ve been doing the same thing to me for months.”

Dom gaped at me, and I breathed shallowly out of pouted lips to try and stop myself getting too upset. Just how angry I was with Dom had dawned with me, and acting on James’ words about my temper, I was trying to control it.

“I – I’m sorry.”

They were not the words I had expected to hear, and my jaw dropped open and swung around in the breeze for a while in shock. Dominique Weasley – apologising for something? That was nearly as rare an occurrence as my own apology.

“I’m sorry, Summer. I – I didn’t realise. And I don’t suppose Penny did either. I – I didn’t even notice that you and James stopped... wait, why did James and you stoptalking?” I gaped at her and cursed my own big mouth, wondering how I was going to bullshit my way out of this one. I frowned and struggled for a reason – James was always better at coming up with excuses than me.

“I – he didn’t like the fact I was dating Rose’s ex boyfriend, and we got into a fight about it, and... um... we were both so pissed about it that we stopped speaking.” Dom narrowed her red-rimmed eyes at me and shook her head.

“Don’t fucking lie to me, Summer,” she sighed, and I blinked gormlessly. By the way, what is a gorm? Like, they say gormlessly, but what is this gorm that you apparently don’t have? I’ll ask Penny later – well, if she’s speaking to me again, that is. “You said you started dating Jack because James stopped speaking to you – so don’t try and spin it the other way now. If you’re gonna fucking lie to me then I might as well just go.” Dom glared at me and I frowned.

“I – look, Dom, the reason James and I stopped talking is kind of private. You will find out eventually, I promise, but just – just leave it, for now. Please.” Dom crossed her arms over her chest and dismissed me with a lazy flick of her hair.

“Fine. Fine. Be like that, Summer. Look, I might have been a shite friend lately, but... but I need you. And you should forgive me or whatever and just – just...” Dom trailed off and flopped her arms down to her sides hopelessly, looking the image of lost.

She turned suddenly on her heel and started to slam her way out of the door, when I did something very rash and very, very stupid. Of course, I wouldn’t realise quite how stupid until much later.

“Dom – Dom, fine. Fine. I’ll... I’ll stay with you this weekend.”

~+~

The way I saw it, it was Tuesday. And the Hogsmeade trip was on Saturday. That meant I had three and a half days to get Dom and Connor all loved up again, or I would have to tell James I was officially cancelling our date and risking the sure to happen hissy fit that would follow. And James doesn’t half act like a twat when he’s throwing a hissy fit.

So therefore, I was fully entitled to be storming down everything motherfucking corridor in the school screaming Connor’s name at the top of my lungs. Dom hadn’t been too happy I was leaving her alone in the dorm, but I flat out told her the truth; I’d made enough concessions for her already.

“Connor Joseph Dale! Where the bloody hell are you?” I screeched, slamming down what felt like the nine hundredth corridor. “Connor! Seriously! This ain’t funny!”

“Is there a particular reason you’re screeching out Dale’s name? What’d he do, steal your knickers? I would, if I had access to your dorm. Wouldn’t Jamesie-boo get jealous if he knew you were storming around the castle looking for his best mate?” I whipped around to see Kyle Davies leaning against the doorframe of a charms classroom, an amused smirk on his face.

You know what would make that smirk better? If it was punched off him. Preferably by my fist, but Fred’s fist would do.

“What are you doing here, wanker?” I spat out before I could think about it. No Summer, calm... calm... breathe... I took a deep breath and slowly widened my narrowed eyes, much to the surprise of Kyle, who glanced around nervously as though looking for the catch.

“I was looking for you – and would you look at that... I found you.” Kyle winked at me and pushed his way off the wall, sauntered forwards and fell into step next to me. Deciding to take the high road, I continued ploughing forwards and ignored the blonde ignoramus (see, high road – there was no swearing involved) that was swaggering along next to me.

“Wonderful. Someone should enter you for the age-old sport of Hide and Seek in the Olympics,” I grumbled, glancing down a small side corridor to check for Connor’s stupid blonde head.

“Well, they shouldn’t enter you. Connor Dale walked past us before and you didn’t even notice him, because you were so busy looking for him.” I whipped around to see Connor’s head disappearing around the corner. Cursing under my breath, I quickly turned on my heel and half-ran-half-tried-not-to-run after him, Kyle laughing and following me.

Gah, he’s a git. We should roast him over a spit and just be done with it.

“Connor!” I yelled, but by the time I had rounded the corner he was no longer there. Glancing around, I sighed in frustration and shot the finger at Kyle, who was still laughing at me. “Did you see where he went?” I snapped, but he just smirked at me.

I could feel my forced patience dwindling at the look on his face, draining into my feet. I just couldn’t be bothered with him anymore. I’d been trying so hard not to lose my temper, but why should I try and keep it with Kyle? What did he ever do for me?

“I did, actually,” he laughed, and my annoyance with him was instantly forgotten. Sighing in relief at the elating thought that I might actually be closer to going on my date after all, I stepped towards him, pressing my hands against each other.

“Fantastic – where did he go?” I asked, but Kyle just rolled his eyes and shook his head at me affectionately, like an adult would with a little child that had done something quite adorable.

“Oh, I am so not going to tell you,” he laughed, and before I could protest he had seized my wrist and was dragging me into the empty classroom right behind us.

Hogwarts had way too many empty classrooms. I wouldn’t have had half as many problems if they had just started using them for something. I mean, they were the places that James and I snogged in, that James and I argued in, that James and I threw things at each other in... the list was endless, really. And it was also the sodding place that I was dragged into whenever Kyle was acting like his usual tit self.

“What the bloody fuck is your problem?” I snapped, but he completely blanked my question. Charming. And he wonders why I don’t want to go on a date with him.

“Right, you want to know where Dale is, right?” I scowled at him and rolled my eyes, parking my arse down on the edge of the nearest desk and staring at him with nothing other than utter contempt on my face.

“Yes, and I could have been finding him right now if you hadn’t dragged me in here for Merlin only knows what reason.” Kyle laughed softly and sat down on the desk opposite me, balancing his elbows on his knees and leaning closer until our faces weren’t that far apart. I was going to pull back uncomfortably, but managed to hold my ground.

“Well, maybe, maybe not,” Kyle said coolly. “I have a proposition for you. I haven’t forgotten that date I still want us to go on – because we will. You’ve got a bit of a reputation, Summer, and I know that you’re going to give in eventually. So you snog me now, and I’ll help you find Dale. That’s the deal.” I gaped at him.

“You’re a creep, do you know that?” I snarled. “And what the hell – do you think you’re in the sodding Mafia or something – striking deals to try and get what you want? Fuck you, Davies. Fuck you to hell.”

I went to shove myself out of the room when he seized my wrist again and whipped me around to face him. His eyes were squeezed shut, his lips pushed out like a child – I freaked.

Slamming the palm of my hand into his cheek and shoving his shoulder as hard as I could with my other, I pushed him away from me with an unintelligible yell. He clutched at his cheek and stumbled backwards, tripping over a chair and landing flat on his back.

“Stay the hell away from me,” I hissed, tripping around blindly and staggering towards the door. Adrenaline was pumping in my head so fast that I could barely see, but I could see what was in front of me just fine – I would recognise it anywhere. Standing in the doorway, clutching that goddamned piece of parchment that had revealed so many of my secrets over time, was James. My James. But he didn’t look angry; like he did the last time he found Kyle and I in a classroom together. He was smiling – in fact, he was flat out beaming.

I staggered towards him and within seconds he had enveloped me in his arms, his face pressed into my hair – Kyle and any other bystanders be damned. I grinned in spite of myself and wrapped my arms around his waist, rocking us slightly from side to side.

“You didn’t snog him – you didn’t let him...” James said slowly, and I pulled away to blink at him in confusion. “You – last time you wouldn’t fight him off. But you did – you didn’t let him kiss you.” I nodded stiffly, wondering where he was going with it. “Thank you,” he finally laughed, and he suddenly bent down, scooped me up like a giant baby and spun me around.

“James, what the bloody hell has gotten into you?” I laughed as he spun me around again. He didn’t answer, but instead leant forwards and brushed a few stray strands of hair behind my ear.

“You. You’ve gotten into me,” he grinned, and I rolled my eyes. I leant forwards to give him a quick peck on the lips, checking first for any nosy buggers that could be watching. James caught me off guard; however, as the moment my lips touched his he swooped me low to the ground and kissed me harder, my hair spilling all over the floor.

I hoped that the house elves had been doing their job and I wasn’t going to go back to the dorm with mud treaded into my hair.

“Why are you so happy?” I eventually laughed, pulling free and running my fingers down his cheeks. He didn’t really have stubble, James – maybe he was a late developer. I don’t know. I was grateful for it, regardless, because it meant I didn’t get stubble-burn when we snogged.

“I just – you know why I don’t trust you. Because you’ll snog anything that moves. But you – you didn’t. It just... it’s helping me trust you. So thank you.” James looked so sincere that I couldn’t help but laugh, but I wound my arms around his neck and kissed him again anyway. At least, until some buggering second year came sliming around the corner and interrupted us.

“I want you to trust me,” I mutter, and he smiles, setting me down softly on the floor but wrapping his arms around my waist and leaning down until our noses were nearly touching.

“Well we can talk about this more on our date this weekend,” James laughs, and suddenly he leant forwards, wrapped his arms around my waist and spun me around one more time. The smile must have faltered on my face slightly, because he suddenly stepped back and peered at me.

“What are you looking at me like that for?” I muttered gruffly, and James’ eyes instantly become a little colder. Damn him and his freakish ability to know when I’m hiding something or bullshitting to him. I bet he has a map for that too.

“What’s happened? With our date – I can see something’s happened, it’s written on your face.” I instantly tried to smooth my expression out at his accusatory tone, but it made no difference.

“Well, Dom came back to the dorm last night and... well, she was a little bit upset, obviously, because her and Connor had split... and, well, she was really, really worked up. And I felt bad for her. And then she asked me to stay with her this weekend –”

“Fuck,” James spat, and his dropped his hands from my hips and stepped back, putting about a metre between us. “Fuck – so Dom says she wants you to spend the weekend with her, and then I get dropped like the proverbial hot potato. Thanks a fucking lot –”

“WELL IF YOU BOTHERED TO LISTEN TO ME,” I started loudly, and James instantly hushed up, “then you would know that I actually told her that I had a date, and that she’d been ignoring me for fuck knows how long, and that I shouldn’t have to ditch my date for her.” James signalled for me to carry on. “Well, and then she started going on about how I was a shit friend and she needed me and... and she made me feel dead guilty and then she was gonna leave and I guess you could say that somehow I agreed to blowoffourdateandspendtheweekendwithherinsteadofwithyou.”

The silence between us was deafening.

“Look, I know she’s broken up with Connor but let’s face it, they’ll be back together soon. And for her to have the nerve, after everything she’s done to you, to stand there and demand you stay with her... that’s not on.”

I shrugged, and James ran a hand through his hair.

“I know, I’m sorry –”

“Yeah, you’re sorry. You’re always fucking sorry, aren’t you Summer? You’re sorry that you blew off our date, after it took a year and a fucking half for us to organise one in the first place? You’re sorry that even though Dom’s been a bitch to you, you chose her over me?”

“Stop acting like a child! I didn’t choose her over you – she chose her over you!”

“Right.” James rubbed his hand across his jaw in frustration, and then turned on the heel of his trainer and started to walk away, off down the corridor.

“Oi! Hey, where the fuck are you going?” I yelled after him. “It’s not like I fucking chose for her and Connor to split, and I’m trying to fix it so we can bloody go out together! Maybe if you helped me find your sodding best friend, then you could help me fix it!”

James didn’t respond to that, but when he reached the end of the corridor he suddenly turned around and peered at me in a very strange way.

“Did you even want to go on a date with me, or did you just not want to worm your way out of it? Just – never mind. Whatever.”

What was with all James’ sudden insecurity? He didn’t think I was going to want to go on a date with him, he didn’t think that I trusted him, he thinks that I’m ignoring him to stay with Dom because I don’t want to go on a date with him... he just needs to bloody chill out for five and a half seconds.

“Of course I want to! But no, I tell you what, James, I’ll go and find Connor and Dom, and I’ll fucking sort it all out. Don’t bother trying to help!” Given that James had already stomped around the corner, I got no reply. Well, no reply from James, anyway. Kyle Davies, however, was only too happy to fill the silence.

“So you and Potter are going on a date, huh?” I took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers, as though that might drain the tension.

“Shut up, Davies. Just shut up.”

~*~

To whomever it may concern,

My name is Summer Lancaster, and I am seventeen years old. I turn eighteen in a month. I also graduate Hogwarts this summer, and until recently was unsure what I wanted to do as a career. Recently my best friend, James Potter, suggested that I look into the field of Magical Law, and after doing a large amount of research I have realised I actually have a profound interest in the subject. I am interested in pursuing this as my post-Hogwarts career, and my research also turned up the fact that you are the highest company in the wizarding world for lawyers. After I graduate I have a serious interest in beginning an internship at your company, and I am writing to you with further information about myself attached to see whether this would be something you would also be interested in.

I await your owl,

Yours sincerely,

Summer O. Lancaster.

“This is good, Summer,” Dom smiles, and I can tell from her careful tone and the way she’s chewing her lip that she’s trying to suck up to me to make up for the fact she knows I’ve cancelled a date for her. And trust me; Summer Lancaster having a date in the first place is a bloody big thing.

“Thanks. Is there anything you think I should add? I was going to mention my father’s name, but then I just added that to the resume. Dear old Dad always said that at least he could give me a job, because his name was so... you know.” Dom nods understandingly. “I did what you said and put James’ name in it... they’re going to think I’m insanely well connected.”

“Well, you are...” Dom laughs, and I roll my eyes.

“Yeah, well connected to Death Eaters and the families of Death Eaters,” I grumble, and Dom rolls her eyes. “The only reason my dad’s name would get me anywhere is because his family name scared them into giving him a job and into giving him more promotions than should be allowed. But hey – I’m not above getting a job that way too.”

“Glad to hear it – I’m sick of hearing daughters of rich fathers being all like ‘I don’t want to get a job because of Daddy!’. If you can get a job that way, then do. The way the economies headed, we need it.” I leant face down onto my bed and banged my chin into my pillow a few times.

“Aren’t we a little young to be talking about the economy?”

“James is like that, though,” Dom commented, completely disregarding me. “He’s always prattling on about how he doesn’t want to get anything in life because of his dad, yet he smirks like no one’s business when the shopkeepers in Diagon Alley give him freebies when they realise who he is. Right little hypocrite, that one.”

I laughed and rolled off the bed onto the floor, glancing worriedly at Penny’s bed. Since the argument with her that morning, she’d avoided the dorm like the Black Plague and I hadn’t had a chance to broach the argument with her. Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have talked back to her when she was clearly so sensitive, but I felt like Penny had blown everything out of proportion for no reason.

She was never normally like that – and the way she was talking was almost like... almost like she was still in love with him.

And that knocked me sick, it really did. It was disgusting to think that someone that treated her like that might still have her heart, when there was someone as incredible as Fred standing there with open arms. And to be honest, if she was going to treat her friends like that over Kane Owen, then... fine. She could go running back to him. But she better not expect me to sit there and coddle her like I used to. Well, sit there and watch Dom coddle her. I don’t coddle.

“Well, that’s James, isn’t it? The bloke who said he hated hazelnuts, and when he found out they were in Nutella, which he loves, he realised he didn’t like Nutella that much after all.” Dom laughed and rolled her eyes, flipping off her bed so she was lying on the ground next to me.

“Talking of James, what with him being a boy and all, I’ve been meaning to ask you since... well, since this morning. Who are you – sorry, were you going on that date with this weekend? I mean... you never date. I don’t want to keep you from like, the Prince of Tanzania or something.” I laughed, but even I could hear that there was something off about it.

“No, no... it wasn’t the Prince of Tanzania, don’t worry. I’d rather be going with the guy I was going with than the Prince of Tanzania.” Yes, I did throw that little comment in to make Dom feel worse. And yes, judging by the expression on her face... it worked.

“I am sorry, Summer – I feel really bad for you. And I feel bad myself, keeping you here with me just because I split up with.... with... C-Connor. But... I really don’t feel like I can be alone. And I know that you know I’d rather be with Con this weekend, but... thank you. For staying with me.”

I nodded stiffly and distracted myself by poking a small black mark on the carpet, wondering whether someone dropped a cigarette there at some point.

“Well, Dom, I really did want to go on that date, I’m not going to bullshit. I really, really wanted to go on it. And if there is any way that I can go on it and not have to stay here with you, then I’m going to take it. Because I – I really want to go. I just hope you and Connor get back together before Saturday.” Dom smiled sadly.

“I hope we do too,” she murmured, and it only hit me then that while I was bitching about not being able to go on my date, Dom had also lost out on a date – she was going to be going with Connor. Her boyfriend. Just how much it had upset her... I suddenly saw all that. “But I don’t think we’re going to. I think I really blew it this time, Summer.”

I breathed out hard through my nose and wondered. Had Dom blown it? Was it entirely her fault? Well, yes, it was. Maybe it was a tiny, tiny little chunk Connor’s fault, but it was mostly Dom’s. She had literally turned into the girlfriend from hell. But Connor loved her – he’d loved her for a long time. And from what I’d heard, he only broke up with her in the heat of an argument. So maybe he wouldn’t have, had he been thinking straight.

“I don’t know if you’ve blown it, Dom. I think it’s a bit of a mess right now... but I don’t know if you’ve blown it. Maybe you need to talk to him.”

Okay, so maybe I wasn’t the best person around to be giving people advice on relationships, but with Penny currently AWOL, there wasn’t really anyone else around to make up that bullshit.

“I can’t talk to him,” she murmured quietly, and it took every last inch of my self-restraint to stop myself rolling my eyes at her. “I mean, what if he told me that things were really done between us? I don’t think I can handle that.” Her huge blue eyes filled with tears, and I clenched my hands into fists.

“So what now, then, Dom? You’re going to hang around in this Limbo or something forever, too scared to find out if things are really done with Connor but never officially finding out so you can move on?” Dom pursed her lips, thought for a second and then shrugged.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“You’re a right bint; did anyone ever tell you that? Because they should have.”

“I still don’t understand why you’re eating dinner with me,” Scorpius said slowly, and I grinned at his adorably confused expression. Despite the colour of his hair, Scorpius was never the brightest bulb in the box. Just the one slicked back with the most oil.

Honestly, if you rubbed his head on a frying pan then you could probably fry an egg. Which is insane, when you consider how minging and unhygienic that would be. I mean, when was the last time you ordered omelette a la hair oil?

Never, is the answer you’re looking for.

“Am I not allowed to eat dinner with my cousin, or something?” I asked, trying very hard to ignore the fact that a squirming Albus Potter was sitting four seats down from me, not sitting with his best friend because I was actually parked next to him.

“No, you are... but you always eat dinner with your friends or that boyfriend of yours.” Scorpius’ lip curled up in disgust, and he quickly crammed another chicken nugget in his mouth to swallow his displeasure. I rolled my eyes and quickly swallowed another mouthful of spaghetti bolognaise. I wondered whether I should tell Scorpius that Jack and I weren’t even together anymore. Probably – it would probably take a few grey hairs off his head.

“Scorp? You do know that Jack and I aren’t even together anymore, right?” Scorpius blinked at me twice, then his entire body seemed to slump down with relief.

“Oh thank fucking Merlin...” I cocked an eyebrow at Scorpius but didn’t question him. To be perfectly honest, I just didn’t want to know.

I ate another few bites of my dinner and then took a deep gulp of water, noticing Natalie Von Bitch giggling and sliding down into the seat next to Albus. She leant sideways and kissed him gently on the cheek, then ran her slimy little fingers through his stupid greasy hair and planted a kiss splat on his mouth. Worried that I might look like I’m perving on the pair of them, I quickly looked back down at my dinner.

Well, I would have looked back down at my dinner, had it not been for a little something – or rather, someone – that captured my attention instead.

Someone, that after the other day, I really hadn’t expected to be walking towards Scorpius with a determined glint in her eye and her hair flowing back over her shoulders like some bloody curtain of red from a muggle movie.

Rose deftly dove past some wanker who stood up too quickly and nearly knocked her over, and stumbled slightly to halt in front of us. I suddenly felt like I should be somewhere else, but being a nosy bitch, I stayed.

“Scorpius, can I have a word with you? This is the last time, I swear. And then... and then I’ll stop bugging you.” Rose glanced nervously at me, but didn’t say anything. She probably knew if she tried to get Scorpius on his own then he’d be difficult and insist that I stayed.

Merlin knows why, it’s not like I ever make situations any better.

“Sure, take a seat.” Scorpius gestured to the two empty seats in front of Scorpius and I, which were only empty because we liked to have an un-blocked view, so we put our feet up on the bench whenever someone tried to sit down and refused to move. Under Scorpius’ threatening glare, no one dared to argue.

Scorpius dug me sharply in the rib with his pointy little elbow and I jumped, but brought my feet down to the ground anyway. Urgh – the floor seems so boring in comparison to the bench.

“I just... I just wanted to say I’m sorry... again. For everything I said when we were in Hogsmeade. I was so totally out of line, and I was just angry, and I was saying anything I could to try and... I don’t even know. But I’m really, really sorry. And I really didn’t mean any of it – I know that you know a lot about me, and it was really sweet for you to do everything you did.”

Aww, how sweet. I helped myself to some chicken sticks to snack on while I watched.

“And... erm... look, I really don’t know what to say. No, you know what? I do. Right – you were right bastard to me at the beginning of the year, when I was completely in love with you and you told me that if I was patient then you would move me to the top of your sodding girlfriend waiting list. But then... you became the sweet one, and I became the bastard, essentially. I was so awful to you, but I only did it because you were awful to me first. And I’m not gonna sit here and just act like it was completely my fault.” Rose’s breathing became a lot heavier, and I cocked an eyebrow.

I was impressed – I didn’t know Rose had that kind of fight in her. It was nice to see, at any rate.

“Right. Okay.” Scorpius nodded slowly, and for some reason I wanted to stomp on his foot and tell him to stop being such an oblivious and stubborn git and just bloody take her up to his dorm and... in fact, no. He’s my cousin. Take her up to his dorm and play monopoly with her.

“Right, so... that’s all I really wanted to say. I just wanted to... to let you know that I wasn’t going to take all the blame that everything that happened. Because it wasn’t just my fault. And I want you to see that. And you probably see that now... so I’m going to go. Yeah... go. I’ll just... leave.” Rose didn’t move, though.

I wondered whether she had some problem with the concept of the word ‘leave’. Maybe I should buy her a dictionary so she could look it up.

But eventually she did stand; she brushed her skirt down like a priss and stepped over the bench. But even though she was now standing, she still didn’t move. She just stood there and stared at Scorpius.

It was a little creepy, to tell you the truth.

But hey, who was I to judge? Maybe she’d stumbled onto some wild new entrancing technique.

After a couple more awkward minutes of just standing there, Rose eventually seemed to get the message that Scorpius wasn’t going to say anything, and started to head off. She’d taken around three steps when Scorpy-boy stood up suddenly next to me, damn near knocking my water out of my hand. I stomped on his foot in revenge.

“Oi, Weasley. Get your arse back here, I’m not done with you,” Scorpius barked, and I grabbed another few chicken sticks to chew on as the plot twisted at got a little more interesting.

Rose stumbled over her feet a little as she turned around, and there was an awkward moment when I thought she was going to trip over the bottom of her own robes as she walked, but other than that, it literally did look like something out of a movie. You know, other than the fact that everyone is wearing these ugly robes... they’re not usually in movies.

“Yes?” she asked nervously, bur Scorpius was still being a git and not saying anything.

“Just shut up, Weasley, for once in your life. Just shut it,” and then – yes, even I saw this one coming – he leaned forwards and kissed her. Splat bang on the mouth, in front of all the little first years trying to eat their stew.

“Ew,” I grumbled loudly, exchanging grimaces with the random Slytherin next to me.

Luckily, the disgusting animals next to me decided not to snog over the roast chicken, and broke apart pretty quickly, leaving me room to grab some more chicken sticks. I’ll have to talk to the house elves about where they get these from, because they are delicious. Like little sticks of spicy-but-not-spicy chicken on skewers.

“Erm... so...” Rose said vaguely, blinking a couple of times. I noticed Albus glaring at Scorpius and glancing at Rose – let me point out that the bastard of the Potter brothers is actually Scorpius’ so-called best friend – so I quickly shot him a warning look.

Natalie looked like she’d swallowed something unpleasant – probably her own personality – and glared at me, but to be honest, I couldn’t give two shits.

She was wearing a bandana, for freak’s sakes. A pink one. With flowers on it. I think that automatically gives me the one up.

But despite my long-running mental tirade over stupid Natalie and her stupid pink bandana and her stupid stupidness, Rose and Scorpius still hadn’t... well, done anything. They were both just standing there like gorms, blinking at each other as though they had some kind of unspoken language that they both understood.

And even though that would be very impressive, I was pretty sure that Scorpius was too dim to be able to remember a whole new language on top of English.

And let’s face it; he doesn’t even know that one very well. I could probably some up the majority of Scorpius’ vocabulary in about ten words. In fact, let’s see if I can. I bet you I could.

The Official Vocabulary List of Scorpius H. Malfoy, as told by me, Summer O. Lancaster

“Look, if you two are going to stand there and not say anything as piss me off, then you can just... go away somewhere and talk, or snog, or whatever the hell you want – but don’t bloody stand there and block the chicken sticks.” Scorpius rolled his eyes at me and Rose giggled nervously.

“Did you not hear her? She said go,” the random Slytherin next to me said slowly, waving his hand in emphasis.

Scorpius sighed, and eventually seized Rose’s hand, jumped over the table and headed off.

He’s goddamn lucky that his foot didn’t land in the chicken sticks, or there would have been blood on the floor. And in case it wasn’t clear – the blood would be Scorpius’.

He dropped Rose’s hand pretty quickly and flung his arm around Rose’s shoulder, pulling her into his side. It was all very cute, yes, but it was also slightly irritating. I mean, seriously – the two of them messed things up constantly, and things still end up good? How the bloody fatted munchkin is that fair? Hmm? I hate life.

“So, how are you?” a voice asked, and I turned to find the random Slytherin grinning at me in what I’m sure he thought was a charming way. I cocked an eyebrow, grabbed a chicken stick from the centre of the table and jammed it into his mouth.

“I’m not interested,” I said firmly. And it was true, I wasn’t.

~*~

As told by Connor Dale

“I am going to murder that boy. I am going to rip his intestines out and bake them in a pie and then serve it to people who I don’t like. I’m going to pluck every single one of his stupid golden hairs out and make him watch as I set them on fire. I’m going to...” Summer’s angry grumbling trailed off as she stomped off down another corridor.

And that is exactly the reason I’d been avoiding her like the Black Plague since... yesterday. I knew the longer I left it, the angrier she was going to be when she eventually got hold of me, but I... talking to Summer about it would make it all much more real.

Plus, there was always a chance that she would whack the stuffing out of me. Or... you know, just argue with me until she was blue in the face. Or kill me. You never know with her.

After glancing down the corridor to make sure that she’d actually gone, I ducked through the shortcut that led to the seventh floor and half ran to the Fat Lady – shut up, I’m allowed to be scared of one of my best friends if I want to be – and through the common room, and straight up to the boy’s dorm.

At least there was no Dom and no Summer in there.

There was, however, a James. A James who was kicking the shit out of his bed, chucking the covers onto the floor and keep up a long steam of expletives under his breath. After he tossed his pillow onto the ground and started stomping on it with both his feet I decided to step in.

“James? Mate, you alright?” James stopped stomping suddenly, turned around and groaned.

“Damn... I didn’t realise you were in here. Sorry.” He didn’t even look a tiny bit apologetic, but I let it go. Clearly, despite me being the one that had just split up with my girlfriend, he was having a rough time. I didn’t even have to ask to known immediately that Summer had something to do with it.

“What’d she do?” I sighed, dropping down onto my bed as James – looking very shamefaced – quickly started to throw his quilt and pillows back onto his mattress.

“What do you mean, what’d ‘she’ do? I have no idea what you’re talking about. No girl has anything to do with anything.” I sighed, grabbed an old banana skin off my bedside table and tossed it at the back of his head. It missed pathetically, but the thought was still there.

“I mean, what did Summer do this time to piss you off?” James looked like he was going to protest, so I cut him off again. “Look, mate, she’s the only girl – the only sodding person that can get you this worked up. So what’d she do?”

James sat down on the edge of his bed and laughed bitterly. From that laugh alone, I knew what had happened. And I was surprised – I mean, Summer was Summer. She was unpredictable and bitchy and a right royal pain in the arse when she wanted to be, but... she loved James. And she might not want to admit it to herself, but Summer was head over heels for James. And for her to call off their date... I couldn’t imagine a reason that she would possibly do that.

“Do you know why?” I asked slowly, and James laughed. But again, it was a bitter laugh.

“Yeah, I do. Because of your fucking girlfriend and you. Why’d you think she’s trying to find you – she’s trying to fucking fix the whole thing. After you jibbed Dom, Dom threw a hissy fit over Summer being a shite friend because she had a date this weekend, and... I dunno. Somehow she got Summer to agree to stay with her this weekend and comfort her.”

Even though Dom had literally turned into Domzilla lately, I still felt the need to defend her. I loved the bones of Dom... I didn’t want to let James talk shite about her, even if he was her cousin.

“Hey, Summer didn’t have to stay with her – she chose to. Dom didn’t tie her to the bloody bed and bully her into staying with her.”

“You think I don’t fucking know that, Connor!” James yelled suddenly, shoving himself off the bed and advancing towards me. “Why’d you think I’m so pissed off? Because she did choose to stay with Dom instead of going on our date! But you know what; Dom ain’t some perfect little princess either! After ignoring Summer for so long, she had no right to guilt Summer into staying with her. So don’t try to pin this all on my girl. Don’t.”

I blinked at James a couple of times in shock, and then flopped back onto my bed.

“This is so messed up,” I grunted, and James laughed bitterly again.

“Why’d you break up with Dom? I’m not saying it was the wrong thing to do, it’s just... I just was curious. Why you broke up with her, you know. I mean, you’ve adored her since you were what, twelve? After everything you went through to get her, you’re the one that left her... that just made no sense to me.”

“You’ve already said it,” I muttered, and I could tell James would have his confused face on. As Summer always says, he’s not the brightest bulb in the box.

“What? No, I said that you love Dom, so why did you break up with her – oh bloody Nora, don’t tell me that you’re saying you broke up with Dom because you’re in love with her. Because that is just corny, mate. I think you need to go to the gym or something. I don’t want a pansy for a best mate, sorry to tell you.”

“I broke up with Dom because... because she wasn’t Dom anymore. Being with me had somehow... changed her, I don’t know. And she wasn’t the girl that I’d fallen in love with five bloody years ago. She was someone else. And I love that girl, not this new one. So I thought that if it was me that was the reason for this new Dom, then if we broke up then the old Dom might come back. And I want her back.” I banged my head against the pillow.

“I hope the old Dom comes back too – the new one was insane. Like, awful. I mean, she told you what you were and weren’t allowed to eat, for hell’s sake.”

“I know,” I laughed.

“I hope she comes back soon... because then maybe you’ll back together and I’ll be able to go on my date with Summer.”

“Why does this date mean so much to you, mate? I mean, I know it’s with Summer, but why don’t you just reschedule it for another time? If Dom wants her to stay with her this weekend, then why don’t the two of you do something this Friday night, or something?”

James grabbed the Quaffle he kept on his bedside table and started tossing it between his hands, cracking his neck backwards and forwards.

“Because I never know what to do with Summer. I don’t know if she even wants to date – and the fact that she agreed to go on this date meant something to me. And I don’t want to be the hick that looks like a twat, running around after her trying to get a date. As far as I’m concerned, however damaging it might be to my masculinity, if she blows off this date then she has to ask me for the next one.” I laughed, and James grinned at me.

“Merlin, she really does have you all shook up, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah,” James laughed.

“You know why that is, right?” I knew James was going to deny whatever I said, and just claim that Summer was his best friend, but I had to try anyway. “You know why you’re so nuts about her calling off this date?”

James at up straight, tossed the Quaffle onto his bed and nodded.

“Yeah. Because I’m in love with her.”

~*~

As told by Summer Lancaster

“Summer?”

“Bloody hell, Dom, look – I’ve already stayed with you all day, talked over every single aspect of your relationship with Connor that I have absolutely no interest in, helped you avoid him when we went down to lunch, comforted you and looked for Connor to try to talk to him – just give me five bloody minutes to lie here and relax. I’m not your sodding lackey; I do have a life of my own.” In a bout of childishness I was almost convinced to slam my pillow over the back of my head.

“No, Summer, Dom’s gone down to the common room to steal some homework off James. It’s – it’s me. Penny. Can we talk?”

I slowly lifted my head off the pillow and rolled over onto my back, blinking up at Penny. Her expression was awkward – she was chewing her bottom lip, her fingers were knotted in each other and her eyebrows were furrowed together. She looked a little bit sick – not like she used to, but like she was about to have a conversation that she really didn’t want to have.

“What’d you want?” I asked slowly, carefully measuring each word to make sure that it was nothing that she could blow up at me about. I’d only recently found out that she had a temper.

“I just want to say sorry – for yesterday. I had no right to talk to you like that, or call you the things I did. I know you’re not heartless – just look at everything you’re doing for Dom right now. And I shouldn’t have said it. I thought I was right, but then I spoke to Fred and he pointed out that you were actually right, and... and I was wrong to call you what I did.”

“Oh.”

“So, I’m just trying to say that I’m sorry, and I take it back. And... and I’m going to stick with you and Dom for the next few days – because it’s not just Dom who’s been ignoring you lately. It’s me, too. I told Fred it’s about you girls at the moment, and he said okay.”

“Oh. Right. Well, thanks. For the apology... and everything.”

“And one more thing – I’ve told Dom that I’ve organised a spa day, just for me and her, this weekend in Diagon Alley. Which means you won’t need to be there.” Penny winked at me conspiratorially and I gaped at her.

Did she know? Did every fucking person this planet sodding know? Except Dom, of course. And we know that because there has been no explosions/deaths/decapitations going on lately.

“What do you mean?” I asked quickly, and Penny started to laugh.

“Fred told me that James asked you out for this weekend and you said yes, but had to cancel for Dom. So I thought I’d fix that as a way of an apology.” I gaped at her and she grinned, and then leaned forwards to mess up the top of my hair.

“Is that all he told you?” I laughed nervously, not liking the fact that I felt nervous about something. Penny nodded curiously, peering hard at my face.

“Yes... is there something else that I should know? Something you want to tell me? Because to be honest, love, I’m a little bummed that I had to find out about this date from Fred. And I also know that Dom doesn’t know it’s with James. Why didn’t you tell me you liked James?”

“I – I just... didn’t realise I liked him until he asked me,” I lied, and Penny nodded understandingly.

“Well, small note – you might wanna tell Dom pretty soon, because she’ll go mad if she finds out that she was the last person to know you’re dating James.”

“Woah – I’m going on a date with James, I’m not dating him.” I said sternly, and Penny jumped.

“Right... well the two of you make an adorable couple anyway, so I really hope that things go a little further than one date. I mean, then it will be Fred and I, you and James and Dom and Connor!” Penny grinned cheerfully, but then the smile dropped off her face slightly. “Except, you know... maybe not with Dom and Connor.”

“They’ll get back together,” I said firmly, and Penny nodded.

“Well, I sure hope so.”

~*~

Summer,

Love, I really need to talk to you. I should have really spoken to you about it over Christmas break, but I knew you were having enough trouble with the divorce and I didn’t want to upset you any more than I already had. I just... I want to do this face to face, because I don’t want to put it in a letter. Your father is particularly adamant that I don’t put it in a letter in case it is intercepted and the news spreads. It’s private family business, and would most likely humiliate your father more than myself if that was to get out. So I need to talk to you sometime that no one will overhear. I was wondering if you would be able to talk to me at one o’clock in the morning this evening in the fire of Gryffindor common room. I don’t want to keep you up this late on a school night, but it’s necessary. Try to make sure you get a nap beforehand so you’re not exhausted tomorrow in class and can perform your best, like you normally do.

I love you, baby, and you make me so proud. I’ll speak to you tonight,

Mummy.

~*~

When it got to five to one I pushed myself off the bed, trying very hard not to wake Dom and Sarah (otherwise known as the Brand New Bitch with the Twat of a Sister) whose beds were on either side of mine. I slipped my flip flops on, which had been tossed carelessly under the bed by Dom earlier that day, and slowly padded to the other side of the room. I slipped down the stairs and quickly glanced around the common room.

“Urgh, what are you still doing here?” I grunted to the only other person in the whole room. Honestly, who’s still doing homework at one in the morning? Git.

“I’m spending time in the public common room, because I have a perfect right to. I’m allowed to sit here and do my homework until whatever hour of the morning pleases me, I’ll have you know.” James smirked at me and sat back in his seat, kicking his legs up onto the spindly table in front of him.

I quickly crossed the room and dropped down onto his knee, throwing his hand onto the armrest first so he didn’t spear me in the bum.

“Guess what?” I muttered, and James rolled his eyes.

“Ooh, what?”

“That wasn’t a very good guess...”

“Well, I’m not a very good guesser. So just tell me. Put me out of my misery, Summer!” James lolled his head back and yelled the last few words, so I dug him in the ribs and shushed him.

“Shut it, git, people are asleep upstairs!”

“Not anymore...” James grinned evilly, and then he cackled. Yes, he cackled. Cackled. I have no idea why. And I have a feeling that I don’t want to know.

“Well, I have good news. No, I bear good news! Like... like a good news fairy. Yeah. Because I’m just that cool.” I tapped James sharply on the top of the head and then kissed him on the cheek. Because I was just feeling sentimental. “I was speaking to Penny before, and it turns out Fred told her what we should have been doing this weekend. Anyway, she felt bad, so... she organised a spa trip for her and Dom, so I don’t have to spend the weekend with her. So – if you still want to go with me, I mean – we can go on our... date.”

James grinned, stared at me for a second as though he thought I might be lying to him, and then leapt up off the couch, slammed his shoulder into my stomach and spun me around. And that would have been all well and good, but he didn’t bloody stop. Not even when I elbowed him in the back and flicked him on the spine.

My sad attempts at paralysis were unsuccessful.

He eventually put me down, kissed me quickly on the nose and then collapsed on the couch next to me.

“Well, I’m glad you still want to go with me,” I laughed, and he rolled his eyes.

“Of course I do. What are you doing down here, anyway?”

“My mum asked me to be down here tonight so she could floo me... said she had something really important and private to talk about. So please bugger off so I can talk to my dear mother without your prying ears listening in.” James laughed, but he still didn’t get his fat arse off the couch.

“Nah, I’m gonna stay here. You don’t technically have the right to kick me out the common room.” He poked me in the middle of the forehead, and I sighed.

“Fine. But if you’re gonna stay, at least sit somewhere my mother won’t be able to see you. I doubt she’ll talk if you’re sitting in the background like a little creeper.” James shrugged, heaved himself to his feet and dropped into a cushy chair out of sight from the fireplace.

And just in time, it seemed, because a second later the fire roared green behind me and the sound of my mother’s choking filled the room. I turned around as her head appeared in the coals, and the first thing I noticed was how... bedraggled she looked. She just didn’t look like my usually well put together mother.

“Hey, darling,” she said softly, but even I could hear how weak her voice was. The first horrible thought that filled my head was that something was really wrong – that she was really sick. That something really horrible had happened.

“Hi, Mum. Are you... are you alright?” I dropped down onto my knees in front of the hearth and leant against the front of a chair, shooting a nervous glance at James out of the corner of my eye.

“Yes, yes, I’m... no, I’m not alright, actually, love. But I think it’s going to be alright. Yes, something happened today and I think... I think that it’s not going to be quite as bad as I thought it was going to be. I mean... I’m happy, don’t get me wrong, I am very, very happy... but this isn’t what I expected, especially not at my age. And it’s come at one of the worst times, right in the middle of this divorce and with your father getting remarried...”

“Mum, what’s the matter? And what do you mean, at your age? You’re what...like thirty eight? Thirty nine? You’re not too old! Wait, too old for what? ‘Cause you’re too old to be doing something like... stripping. I dunno.”

My mother laughed softly and I glanced worriedly again at James, who was sitting up a little straighter in his chair, paying more attention than I really wanted him to.

“Am I too old to be having a baby, Summer?”

“Well, I dunno... I think you can have babies until you get to like forty five, and you’re not there yet, so I think you’re good. But still, who are you gonna have a baby with? You’re getting divorced. And also, and I cannot stress this enough – I don’t want a brother or a sister. I like being an only child.”

“Summer...”

“What?”

“Summer, love...”

And that’s when it hit me. Like a ton of bricks – like a very unwelcome ton of bricks. My hands started to shake and I suddenly felt like I was going to be sick.

“You’re having a... a baby with my dad – and he’s getting remarried to someone else? How could he do that? The bastard! Oh my – how could you be so stupid, Mum? You’ve been having marital problems for Merlin knows how long! How could you accidentally have a child with him? Or was this some kind of stupid thing you cooked up to try and save your marriage? Merlin! I just said... I don’t want a brother or sister.”

“Summer, please –”

“Is he there right now? Dad? Get his head into the fireplace so I can have a fucking word with him – that’s sick. How can he be marrying Miss Fake Boobs when you’re having another baby? God! You’re having another baby! How could you do this? You’re so – urgh! You didn’t even raise me properly, how can you do that to another child? If my dad didn’t give a shit about me when he lived with me, then how do you think he’s gonna be with a kid that he’ll never have to see? Are you gonna raise this kid on your own? Because I won’t be living with you to help, I’m moving out after graduation! And don’t you think Nana and Pops are a little old to be helping you raise a kid?”

“Summer, please listen to me – and stop swearing...”

“Oh, this is just shit. What the – how could you –”

“Summer, please BE QUIET!” I fell silent and pouted at the fireplace and my mother runs her hands through her slightly knotted hair. “Summer, I’m about four months pregnant, but your father and I... your father and I stopped... sleeping together about two years ago –”

“Ew! I do not need to know that! That is revolting! No daughter should have to hear about her parent’s... you know what lives!” James looked a little shell-shocked, he’d sat back in his chair and he was watching me with huge eyes.

He was probably worried that I was going to trash the common room.

Trust me, I was considering it.

“Summer, just think about what I just said, please.”

“I am not going think about something like that, because funnily enough I don’t want severe mental scarring or to have to pay an absolute fortune in therapy bills in later life and... Oh my god. You – you haven’t – with dad – two years – four months preg... oh my Merlin.”

“Summer, please calm down.”

“Calm down? Calm down? I have been on your side through this entire divorce – yelling at Dad and hating Lula and everything because he cheated on you and that was disgusting in my opinion, but they’ve not even been together for four months – so you cheated first!”

“Summer, please listen to me...”

“After everything I said to dad for you! And you made me look like a fool, because while I was yelling at him for cheating on you and saying I hated him for doing it, he knew you’d been cheating on him as well! What the hell is wrong with you two? Why the hell can you not just have a normal marriage and divorce – are you actually trying to fuck me up even more?”

“Summer, of course not. And will you please mind your language?”

“DO NOT TELL ME TO MIND MY LANGUAGE!” I yelled. “What the hell is going on here – I don’t want a sibling! I’m happy as an only child. Even if you do have this kid, don’t expect me to have anything to do with it. I don’t want to know.”

“Summer, that’s an awful thing to say.” She sounded a little tearful, but I was too angry to care.

“And cheating is an awful thing to do! But you don’t seem to care about that, do you? No, of course not! Because I’m the demon child that is in fact doing everything wrong. Oh my Merlin what the hell is wrong with the world?”

“Summer, please calm down and just listen to me, please –”

“Who’s the father? Whose kid is it? I want to know who I need to avoid, and who I need to stare at my shoes when I walk past because I know – I know what they did. You do realise that I’m going to subject this person to as much shit as I put Lulu through, right?”

“Do you have to call her Lulu? Can you not just call her Louise?”

“No, she’s Lulu. Lulu the shallow, idiotic bint. Don’t question me; I’m not in the mood for it right now. And to be quite frank, I don’t have the patience with you.”

“Fine, fine...” she sighed, and I rolled my eyes. James was running hands over his eyes, and then shot me what I think was a supporting grimace. I pressed my lips together and tried to stop my eyes from filling up – everything just felt like too much. Oh, the joys of being a teenager.

“Who’s the father?”

“You don’t know him, Summer. I met him at one of your father’s work functions, and he’s actually divorced himself. He’s a lovely man – he really is. His name is Antony Goldstein.” My heart started hammering hard and I felt like my jaw was going to drop off. James sat up stock straight and gaped at me, as his name rang a bell that I did not want to be rung.

“Does he have a son?” I whispered, and I noticed James’ fingers cross. I wasn’t sure which answer he was praying for – a yes or a no.

“Yes, yes he does, actually. I don’t know if you know him. From what I’ve heard, he’s about the same age as you... he might have already left Hogwarts. Antony said he was eighteen.” My mum seemed pleased that I was finally talking to her, but she didn’t seem to understand that she was just feeding the impending volcano.

“What’s his name?” I whispered. “What’s his son’s name?”

“Erm... Jack, I believe. I think his son’s name is Jack. Jack Goldstein. Do you know him?”

James’ jaw had dropped open, and even though I knew he was trying to hide it from me, I knew he was desperate not to smile.

“Do I know him, Mum? Do I know him? How about, about a week ago I split up with him.” Mum’s jaw dropped open. “Merlin, are you being serious? You do realise if you and the homewrecker ever get married then I will have dated – in quite a serious relationship I might add – my step-brother? Do you realise how sick that is? Is that even legal?”

“Summer, please calm down. I can see how that might be distressing, but Antony is a lovely man, and we have no plans to get married at the moment. We’re not even in a relationship – I just know that he is going to be here to support me through this, and he wants to be in the child’s life.”

“Oh, well ain’t that mighty good of him,” I sneered, and my mum sighed.

“Please, Summer –”

“No, don’t you ‘please, Summer’ me. You cheated on my dad, you’re not even in a relationship with the man you cheated with, you’re pregnant, you’re ruining my life and do you wanna know what I really think, Mum? I think you’ve also ruined yours.”

There was a deafening silence as my words bounced back down around me, and I suppose I should have regretted them... but I didn’t.

I was too fuming. I was really, really angry.

“Summer, that’s an awful thing to say,” she whispered, and I could tell that she’d started to cry. But I had no sympathy for her – she’d brought this on herself. “Summer, I just wanted some support from you. Why do you think your father is so angry with me? I just wanted my only other child to be there for me.”

“I never said I wasn’t going to be there for you. I’m just – I’m too angry to talk to you right now. Bye.”

“Summer, please don’t go –”

But she was too late. I’d already seized the vase of flowers from the table behind me and tossed them, and the water they were sitting in, into the flames. The fire instantly smoked and went out, and I was left sitting there in silence. My hands were shaking. My knees were throbbing from sitting down.

“Bit cold, don’t you think?” James murmured, and I slowly looked up at him. One look at his sympathetic and worried expression did it.

I sat there and burst into tears.

disclaimer: none of this belongs to me.

so... hi :) james' revelation. ConDom (i feel i have to do the capitals). scorose. summer's mother. kyle returned! i love kyle... they're going on their date! james and summer, that is, not kyle. why am i summarising this chapter? oh yeah, sorry if there are a lot of mistakes in this ~ i couldn't remember if i'd edited it already and it's a long one, so i didn't want to have to edit the whole thing again. i will do at some point, when i'm not being lazy. OH. and reviews will be answered. they will. the oldest on i've got right now if from... 22th of july? :S. obsessedreaderfromthemoon, i am very sorry. but i will answer reviews... i just have a hundred to answer right now because i let it get out of hand. i used to be good at answering reviews. pfft. i just love them too much <3